The chromatic scale is the basis of all western civilizations music. All different kinds of music including classical or rock 'n roll are created from these twelve tones. The twelve tones of the chromatic scale form a single octave. A music scale is any useful division of an octave. The chromatic scale is all twelve notes in a row. For example, on a guitar if the sixth string open and travel down the string playing one fret at a time until you have reached the twelfth fret, an entire octave of the chromatic scale will have been played. The double dot on the twelfth fret signifies the start of the second octave. Proceeding on with the second octave will play the same tones or notes that repeat themselves at a higher pitch. Pitch is a way of describing the specific value of a tone. On guitar if you travel down the neck toward the body, you are going to a higher pitch, so you're going sharp. And if you travel up the neck toward the headstock, you are going to a lower pitch, you're going flat. This general rule also applies to a piano keyboard. If you go to the right on a keyboard, you're going to a higher pitch, sharp. If you go to the left you're going to a lower pitch, flat. Therefore if you play any note and travel to the right playing twelve notes in a row, this includes the black and white keys together until you end up on the same note you started on, which is the beginning of the next octave, you have just played the chromatic scale. All scales and chords are based on the chromatic scale.
For musicians to be able to describe one tone from another tone, these tones were given names. The letter method or sometimes call the Musical Alphabet is the standard. This is where seven letters from the English alphabet A thru G are assigned to certain tones. The keyboard layout is by far the easiest way to understand music theory. These seven main tones or notes are called naturals. On a piano keyboard, these are the white keys. The black keys that are in between the white keys have two letter names because they are related to both natural tones on each side. As the user goes towards the right of a keyboard, he is going sharp. As the user is going towards the left on the keyboards, he is going flat. This rule shows us how the black keys acquired their two names. For example, for the black key between the G and A, moving from G to the black key in the middle towards the right of G, makes the black key a G sharp. G sharp would be one of the two names for that black key. To reach the same black key from the A would require a left movement, making the black key also an A flat key. This makes G sharp the same exact note as an A flat. Generally, a scale that is made from flats like a minor scale or blue scale, the black keys are referred to by their flat letter names. Most major scales refer to the black keys by their sharp letter names. All the letter names are absolute, which means that these tones or notes always keep the same letter name regardless of the octave. There are relative ways of referring to notes. The Roman numeral method is also a common method.
Musical compositions make use of intervals as well. An interval is the musical distance between notes. If you play any note from the chromatic scale, and then play the note right next to it. This is a half step interval, the smallest possible interval. With two half steps equaling a whole step, this means a whole step is twice the distance of a half interval. Therefore, if a note is played and then next note played is the neighboring not of the initially played note, this is a whole step interval. When a note is sharpened, the pitch is raised up a half step. When a note is flattened, the pitch is lowered a half step. All scale formulas are written using intervals.
Scales are able to tell which chords are used in a musical piece and also set the overall mood of the piece. All music is composed using some form of a scale created from the twelve notes of the chromatic scale. Scales are constructed using different intervals between various notes with in an octave. By using different intervals combinations, scales acquired certain qualities that give each scale its own unique feel, or mood. The two most common scales are Major and minor scales. The Major is known as the happy scale because of its uplifting qualities. The minor scale is known as the sad scale because of its mournful qualities. There are three types of minor scales including natural, harmonic, and melodic scales. All scales start on one note and end on the same note one octave higher. The note selected to start a scale determines the key your scale will be in. This first note is also called the tonic. With twelve notes in the chromatic scale, there are twelve possible keys for every scale. Each key in itself has its own qualities. By selecting the right key the mood of a musical composition can be further enhanced. Scale formulas are written using half step and whole step intervals. Formulas tell us what notes of the chromatic scale are used and what notes are not used in a particular scale.
The present invention can be used on any musical instruments. In reference to FIGS. 6-7, the present invention also comprises a piano key chart, a piano key labeler, a guitar chord chart, and a guitar minor pentatonic scale chart. Other than a piano, the present invention can be applied to teach users how to play any other instruments. In addition to learning the scales and chords for the instruments, the users will also be able to learn how to make their own chord progressions for a musical piece.
The present invention is a learning aid that helps music students understand the formula behind the composition of music teaching the formulas of the different types of scales and the chords associated with them. The present invention allows users to learn the different scales and chords for every note of the chromatic scale.